For Dubai Metro commuter Imane Ezzemany, who travels daily from Onpassive to Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta, the commute time has tripled since the April 16 storm and subsequent closure of four stations. However, on Sunday (May 19), the Moroccan expat woke up in a ‘wonderful mood.’
“Before the closures, my commute was about an hour,” she said, speaking to Khaleej Times at the Onpassive metro station. “But the past month has taken me around three hours. I am thrilled that the stations are working again. I woke up in a wonderful mood, knowing I could return to my normal commute.”
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Imane was one of the hundreds of commuters who breathed a sigh of relief as the Dubai Metro resumed operations at three stations. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had earlier announced that four stations would open on May 28. However, after necessary maintenance and testing, the authority reopened Onpassive, Equiti and Mashreq metro stations ahead of schedule. Several teams worked around the clock to complete necessary safety checks before reopening.
No more hassle
At precisely 8 am, the Onpassive metro station filled with regular commuters awaiting the platform’s reopening. The RTA announcements repeatedly assured them they could resume their journeys without hassle.
RTA employees guided passengers, and all facilities were working efficiently. The commute at Onpassive station returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
Imane said she was not surprised that the stations reopened earlier than expected. “I told my husband that they would open the stations before May 28 because that’s how Dubai operates,” she said. “I’ve lived here for 13 years and know Dubai quickly finds solutions. For rider’s convenience, free buses were provided even when the metro stations were closed.”
Smitha James, an Indian resident using the Onpassive Metro station to reach Mashreq daily, was particularly impacted by the closures. “It was tough during this past month,” she said. “I saw the news on the RTA’s social media platforms, and I was very relieved when I read the stations would reopen sooner.”
For the past month, Smitha had to rely on RTA shuttle buses and carpooling with colleagues, a far cry from her usual hassle-free metro commute. “It was such an inconvenience,” she shared. “I’m overjoyed that the Metro is back to normal operation, making my daily commute much easier and more comfortable.”
For Jeremy Jugueta and his friends, the four-station closure delayed their job hunting plans. “We’ve been trying to reach Onpassive for the last month, and we have been wanting to come to Al Quoz to look for part-time jobs but were hesitant due to the closure,” he said.
The Filipino expat and his group also hoped to visit a place near Equiti station, but they had been unsure if it would be open. “We were all so excited when we heard the stations were reopening,” he said.
The group decided to take the metro from Stadium station to Onpassive. “The journey was incredibly smooth. It can be a little crowded, but today it was nearly empty,” the 17-year-old said. He and his friends had planned their trip to make moves two hours earlier, but they arrived an hour before their scheduled appointment and decided to rest at the metro cafe.